Kingdom Principles

Kingdom Principles

persuaded Darius to issue a decree that for 30 days no prayers or petitions were to be raised to any god or any one else except to the king himself. Violators would be thrown into a den of lions. This decree was a “ law of the Medes and Persians, which may not be revoked ” (Dan. 6:8b NASB). Catching Daniel in the act of praying to God in violation of the king’s decree (as they knew they would), Daniel’s enemies took him to the king. Darius was trapped. Even he could not revoke his own decree! The king spent a tormented, sleepless night while his trusted servant Daniel cooled his heels in the lion’s den. The Lord deliv ered Daniel safely, and his enemies ended up with the lions instead. The point here is that a king’s decree, once issued, can not be undone. The decrees of the King of Heaven are just as permanent: The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God stands forever (Isaiah 40:8). Jesus the King said: Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will never pass away (Matthew 24:35). 8. A king chooses who will be a citizen. In a democracy, the citizens choose their leader while a totalitarian sys tem treats its “citizens” as little more than tools of the state. A kingdom operates in the opposite manner—the king chooses the citizens. Because his authority is absolute, he determines the standards of citizenship in his kingdom. The people do not vote for the king, but in essence, he votes for them.

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